Travis Bubenik
News DirectorTravis has waltzed across Texas throughout his career in journalism, covering everything from pipeline protests in the Big Bend and oilfield flaring in the Permian Basin to Gulf Coast hurricanes and courtroom battles all over the state.
A Houston native and University of Texas alum, he got his start in public radio as an intern at Marfa Public Radio, where he has at various times been a reporter and host of both Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
Travis’ reporting has frequently appeared on NPR and public radio’s Marketplace. His dog Valentine is indeed named after the town.
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The administration is once again bypassing federal environmental laws to speed up construction on border barriers and related infrastructure – this time for a project in Big Bend National Park and a nearby state park. Six former national park superintendents recently urged the administration to not take that step. -
U.S. Customs and Border Protection says border wall panels will start being installed in the region late this summer or early fall. Multiple signs of construction moving forward have surfaced in recent weeks, from the development of a “man camp” worker housing facility to apparent deliveries of steel bollards to the region. -
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Only a handful of local West Texas primary runoff elections were on the ballot Tuesday. -
Since news first surfaced late last year that border walls could be built for the first time in the Big Bend region of West Texas, the story has been marked by shifting, unannounced changes and few clearly communicated details from the Trump administration.
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The former superintendents sent a letter Thursday to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, describing the administration’s plan for new border barriers, roads and surveillance technology in the park as “unnecessary and highly destructive.” The group is urging Mullin not to bypass federal environmental laws for the project. -
Last week, a government spending website showed a new Department of Homeland Security contract would be used for a “border wall” in the national park. On Tuesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that’s not actually the case, and that the money will be used for vehicle barriers, surveillance technology and “patrol roads.” -
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s latest border projects map shows vehicle barriers and “patrol roads” planned east of Big Bend National Park. The Department of Homeland Security is now waiving a wide range of federal environmental laws for part of that project. -
Voters in Marfa elected two new city council members, while Fort Stockton voters picked a new school board member. -
U.S. Customs and Border Protection updated its map of planned border wall projects to add vehicle barriers and patrol roads to portions of Big Bend National Park on Tuesday. It’s not clear if the barriers would be temporary or permanent.
